Your Space Is Shaping Your Life: Holistic Interior Designer Gala Magriñá on Design That Transforms

Gala Magriñá started her career designing for major brands like Lacoste, Diesel, and Calvin Klein and orchestrating high-profile events for clients like Jimmy Choo, Harper’s Bazaar and Maison Martin Margiela. She started tapping into her spirituality and noticed something crucial was missing. In 2016, she embraced meditation and realized that the spaces we inhabit have a profound effect on our mind, body, and spirit. Now, as an award-winning holistic interior designer, she merges the beautiful with the mindful to create spaces that actually transform people's lives.

In this episode, we talk about her journey from high-pressure event production to permanent interiors, why luxury and supportive design doesn't have to be expensive, and the spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental impact our spaces have on us. Gala breaks down what we should focus on when designing any space—whether it's a home, office, or retail store—and how creating mindful environments elevates not just individual consciousness, but the collective. Her mission? To change the world one space at a time. This conversation will shift how you see the room you're sitting in right now.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Physical baggage that we see in the house reflects like our emotional baggage. Yeah. I just dated someone who had a lot of baggage. I have ran.

SPEAKER_01 0:09

I'm out in the dating game and it's hard because like I like almost don't want to see the per if I like the person, I'm like, let me not see your place because you're gonna tell me a lot. Welcome, Gala Magrinha.

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Holistic interior designer. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

I'm finally comfortable with that name. Holistic interior design acknowledges the tremendous effect that our spaces have on us and is not only designing for beauty and function, uh, but also for mind, body, soul. Well, those also end up being beneficial to the planet. So we can be sustainability and non-toxic Nazis. I think it does us a disservice. I think that big change happens with micro changes. We're not gonna have the utopia yet. But we have to be walking in the right direction at the very least. When there's a need, there's a demand, so clearly like there was a need. But at what cost? I tell clients when they're like, okay, I want healthy materials, but I can't, you know, afford to do the whole home. One of the things I say is like starting your bedroom, and if you can't do all of the furniture in the bedroom, do the mattress. Because that's what you're coming into contact, like with, and do the sheets.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

The empty box versus the Instagram box.

SPEAKER_02 1:19

Okay. The Instagram box creating a space that looks beautiful to impress people. You know, my wealthiest client, it's it's a lot about that. That's not reflecting the person and holding the person any more than empty box space. And yet there's so much money poured into them. The marbles from Italy, the appliances are top line, but who the fuck cares if it doesn't feel good? A luxury is feeling good in your space and having a space that supports that. And that doesn't have to cost a whole lot of money if it's done with intention.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

What are some of the key things that people should be thinking about?

SPEAKER_02 1:55

To feel good. To feel good. I'll list five. How's that? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

What do you feel you're optimizing for now? Finding the right collaborators is really important.

SPEAKER_02 2:04

Why I'm out here like just talking about this until I turn blue in the face. Good intentional design. Doesn't necessarily have to be expensive. We just went around the moon. If we can do that, we can do anything.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

I call you, I was I was pronouncing the ⁇ in your name, but you don't pronounce the ⁇ a in your name.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

Well, I do. You do? But people don't. But people okay they don't, so I just whatever you want. People get stuck. So that's why I'm just like, whatever you want. Yeah, yeah. As long as you get the first name right, and it's not gala or gala, we're good.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Wait, how do you say it?

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Gala. Gala. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Yeah. I was saying it the other way. You were? Gala? You were giving me a gala. Gala. Gala. Okay. Welcome, gala magrinha. I'm saying your name properly. I just for the record. But I have the same issue too with my name because I say Carolina. Some people say Carolina. And I'd accept it. It's like a roll with you. You know? So some people say Magrina for you. That's right. Um, but I'll say Magrinha. Um Interior Designer. Yes. Uh, how would you define yourself? Holistic interior designer? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

Um I'm finally comfortable with that name.

SPEAKER_00 3:18

Oh. What were you calling yourself before?

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Just an interior designer.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Okay. You were hiding. How many years have you been doing interior design for?

SPEAKER_02 3:28

Since about 2016. Okay. And I that's when I had my event design and production company, and we started getting interior jobs. And then in 2020, I fully committed to the interior design and stopped doing the events.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

Got it. And then so when do you did you transition into acceptance of this holistic show?

SPEAKER_02 3:48

So it was like pretty, it was a process, it was a journey. Because like not that many people in my industry are talking about it that way. And I was new to the industry. I never went to school for interior design, so I already felt like an outsider. And then on top of it, like talking about interiors in this like weird, esoteric way was like I had to come to terms with that and step into my power and my truth. So it was a journey, and I would say I officially landed probably like two years ago. So from 2016, I got certified in a bunch of things in 2018. So from 2018 to 2024, it was a six-year journey of saying of dabbling, but like I officially like put my flag in the sand two years ago.

SPEAKER_00 4:36

Right. And I want to get deeper into that, obviously. Yeah. What were you gonna say? What were you gonna say?

SPEAKER_02 4:42

No, I I think it's important to share that because people see you a certain way on the socials or whatever, and I think it's important to share the journey there so it doesn't look like you just arrived.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

So when you say people see you a certain way on socials, how do you think people perceive you now?

SPEAKER_02 5:00

As a holistic interior designer and a and a, you know, somewhat of a pioneer in this space, and it's like, well, you when you're the only one thinking about something and talking about something in a certain way, at least for me, it you know, there were moments of self-doubt. And am I crazy? And should I just jump on the bandwagon and get a Chanel purse and dress a certain way and do luxury interior design, and you know?

SPEAKER_00 5:26

So obviously, we're gonna get into all of that. Yeah. But I just had recently Hassani Reyes on the show, who is your BFF, who is a holistic coach, life coach, she works with Indigenous medicine, all these things. So it is no wonder that you are friends. Yes. Because although you do design, yeah, you do holistic design. Totally. Holistic interior design. What made you go that route and what is holistic design?

SPEAKER_02 6:02

Great question. So I'll start with the definition first. Uh, if traditional interior design is about bringing functionality and beauty to people's lives through the design of their spaces, holistic interior design acknowledges the tremendous effect that our spaces have on us. We have all this like science and studies now, and is not only designing for beauty and function, uh, but also for mind, body, soul. And like holistic means everything. So you know, one of the things that we address is sustainability and healthy materials. Well, those also end up being beneficial to the planet. So it's just like this interior design on steroids and just acknowledging how much our spaces impact us and how we can leverage it for, you know, a better quality of life. Everybody's so focused on, you know, sleep, diet, exercise. Nobody is talking about interior design and how our spaces are designed, you know, and how it affects us, um, and leveraging that. And what was the second question? It was the definition, and then how did you come into the work? So, how I came into the work was I've always been spiritually curious.

SPEAKER_05 7:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:15

And in 2016, I was in the world of event design and production, which is the opposite of sustainable and healthy and aligned, and it's stressful, and it's egos and it's fast-paced and it's flashy. And you throw away a lot of stuff. And you throw away, you you put so much energy into something and it get destroyed, it gets destroyed that night. And this like little voice was like saying, This is, you know, it was beginning to like get louder and louder, like this isn't aligned, this doesn't feel good. Uh, in 2016, I learned how to meditate. I went to India, had this whole sort of like spiritual awakening, and then it just became, you know, crystal clear. Okay, you gotta start moving in this direction. And not to mention, it's so rewarding on a personal level to uh design a space, whether it's work or home, for somebody that they're gonna live in for the next 10 to 20 years, and knowing that uh how you've impacted them versus like an event that you're just designing something like cool for somebody to experience, you know?

SPEAKER_00 8:16

Yeah. Do you think there is a way? I know not to get too much away from what your focus is now, which is you do personal homes, commercial, um I guess personal and commercial, right? Yeah. So businesses and things like that. Um but I do you think there is a way to do sustainable event design?

SPEAKER_02 8:37

Yes. However, a big component of sustainability when it comes to building things is that it takes more time. And usually when you're producing events, you don't have time. So and I think it's very difficult to do. Even with the right vendors and the right structures set up, I think you could probably practice certain aspects of it. But to do, you know, event after event that's 100% sustainable and every event is different, I think it would be a very difficult thing to do.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

Yeah, I think there has to be a way because I've been thinking about this a lot. Yeah. And even when I go to events and conferences that, you know, they're more like conscious-minded and like the topics are, you know, about healing and this and that. You know, I see plastics, I see all these, all this waste, and I'm like, man, it just doesn't add up. I'm like, do do you realize that now you you're kind of contradicting everything that you're that you're saying through through using these materials and through just executing it in this way?

SPEAKER_02 9:40

Yeah, and and I think, you know, we can be sustainability and non-toxic Nazis, but I don't I think it does us a disservice. I think that big changes change happens with micro changes. And so even a conference that's at least bringing people in the room to talk about this, even if it's at a Hilton, we're still in a in a you know, upward motion. It would be even that more holistic if it was maybe at the one hotel. Um, but well, let's let's just do everything that we can and let's not dissuade from practicing anything sort of sustainable or non-toxic by saying it has to be like all or nothing is how I approach it.

SPEAKER_00 10:27

Yeah. This is the great transition. Yes. We have to have a little bit as we're we're not gonna have the utopia yet. A hundred. But we have to be walking in the right direction at the very least, and be have some self-awareness around it, right? Yes. Um, okay, so I have to bring this up because this literally just happened. Okay. I needed new sheets. Okay, right? And I was like, I never buy anything full price, so I'm at Marshall's and I'm like, you know, they have name brands, name brands for less. That was so not a plug, they are not paying me. Like, and yeah, I want different types of sponsors anyway. So um, but that's why I go there because it is name brands, and you find it for this. I'm looking through everything, mind you. I guess I've I guess I've all my sheets have been some sort of gift or um hand me down or something because I guess I've never really gone deeply shopping for sheets. Sheets or thought about it or something. Or thought about it that much, but literally everything was microfiber, polyester. And I'm literally I'm all I I'm like, oh, I'm just gonna go get some cotton sheets. Right? Well, I looked out.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:31

This was literally yesterday. I looked out and I was like, and I turned around, there was like one. I found one queen size 100% cotton, but everything else, and these were again name brand. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Were like microfiber, which is made from plastics, right? Like they have plastics in them, like the and the polyester obviously has plastics. What's up with that? Am I just late to the party? Like, has this been happening for like ever and I just didn't realize this?

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Yes, it has. It's um like if you look at history, when I talk about this through like a uh healthy materials perspective when it comes to furniture and decor and design, and I guess sheets would fall underneath that. I go back in history and I'm like, when did this happen? Because you look at ancient ways of living, obviously they didn't have sheets, but if there was any textile, it was, you know, hemp, cotton, anything like that, right? It was during like two things. There was a chemical revolution and an industrial revolution. And both of those things allowed us to create on a much bigger volume and much quicker. So again, it had its benefits. More people could access things, but these things were less healthy, and that was the trade-off. And now, fast forward to 2026, I just talked about this in a in a reel I did for Earth Day. Uh the need for speed and how fast we live sort of has to be questioned because the need for speed and volume is what you know prompted these revolutions, yeah, these these innovations to happen. When there's a need, there's a demand, so clearly like there was a need. But at what cost? And what can we do now to sort of slow things down and take the time to make things well made with organic materials? The problem then becomes the price point, right? Because it takes more time, because of these things are a lot more like artisanally made, there's a higher price point. So it becomes a luxury item when in fact it's the simplest thing.

SPEAKER_01 13:49

Right.

SPEAKER_02 13:49

Right? So there's a lot like wrapped up into like all of this, I feel like. But smart move on the sheets, because I tell clients when they're like, okay, I want healthy materials, but I can't, you know, afford to do the whole home. One of the things I say is like starting your bedroom, because that's where you spend the most amount of time. And if you can't do all of the furniture in the bedroom, do the mattress. Because that's what you're coming into contact, like with, and do the sheets. Yeah, that's what your skin's touching. Yeah. So it's a little like little trick. So it's a good investment.

SPEAKER_00 14:21

What what is what are these sheets doing to us? Like what is the difference between buying like 100% cotton versus the polyester?

SPEAKER_02 14:28

So like those studies are now showing that the microplastics, the plastics they're in our systems, they're it they're somebody was saying they're like they're found in the umbilical cords of children already.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

I've heard this.

SPEAKER_02 14:42

Um, and that, you know, they can they can cause cancers, they can um they ca they disrupt hormones, um, infertility, all this, both in men and women, all these sort of symptoms essentially. Uh and I don't think that plastics are gonna go away again because of modern life and the speed, and like if you look around, everything is covered in it. Uh so I I think it really falls on the individual to make some like hard choices or have some discernment and say, okay, maybe I can't do this everywhere, but let me do it where it really counts. Right. And where I'm either it's going into my body or touching my skin directly versus, you know, something on the wall that yes is affecting the air quality. Um, but there's workarounds for. Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:36

Right. I feel like there's two extremes here, right? Um, jumping around a little bit, but there's two extremes, right? There's the the people who are kind of the same thing with travel, like people see people traveling, and then you get more people wanting to travel and kind of floss or whatever fonts, you know.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

Get the the TikTok picture and um Positano and like yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Right. And then you see, so you see that with with design, right? Like I'm gonna do this perfect apartment, da-da-da. But then people are moving constantly. And so like I know I moved to Miami and then I put everything on offer up when I was I had that furniture was pretty new. Okay, you know, and I ended up staying in Miami for maybe three years. Um, and so like I would sold everything, but I I felt good about that. Nothing was tossed. Good. And everything in my home, by the way, is something that I've probably gotten from like a Craigslist or a Facebook marketplace, but they're like almost brand new, all these things, because things are getting, you know, rid of. And then you have the other extreme that people just see their homes as this like box of like, I'm just going in there, it's just a roof over my head, and I'm leaving. Can you speak to those kind of extremes of lifestyle?

SPEAKER_02 16:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:47

Let's talk about the people that think it's just a box.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:50

Start there.

SPEAKER_00 16:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:52

So studies now show that our surrounding homes, environments, and communities directly impact our daily motivations, behaviors, and lifestyle. And those in turn determine 80 to 90% of our health outcomes.

SPEAKER_06 17:07

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 17:08

So our spaces, how we design them, how they hold us or don't hold us affect us. So let's like, let's put that in the mix with sleep, diet, exercise, and all these things that we're like obsessed about. Like, period. Yeah. This the study, the science is there.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

I I heard I'm gonna interject for one second because I heard you say somewhere, I think it was in an interview that you did, yeah, about how it's an like the the um hold on, I want to say the physical baggage that we see in the house reflects like our emotional baggage. Yeah. I just dated someone who had a lot of and then what did the house look like?

SPEAKER_01 17:49

It was Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:50

Right, and should I have run in that moment?

SPEAKER_01 17:53

Should I have like I'm in the dating game and it's hard because like I like almost don't want to see the person like the person, I'm like, let me not see your place because you're gonna tell me a lot.

SPEAKER_00 18:04

My girlfriend, I was like, man, the house is like I like it's not what I thought it would be, you know? And it wasn't like the worst, the worst ever, but there was a lot of physical. You could feel it, and there were a lot of physical things out of place. Like there was a lot of clutter. And so, and I'm and you know, she was like, Oh, you know, my you know, my ex was like that too. And I was like, okay, maybe it's a guy thing. Maybe it's a guy thing. And I want you to speak to that at some point, too, the differences between the female and the male aesthetic. But um, anyway, so you're saying maybe I shouldn't have run, maybe I shouldn't have seen it. I don't know. What do you tell me? What do I do next?

SPEAKER_02 18:42

I mean, this is this is getting into something else. Um when I look at a space, you know, holistically and understand our spaces on a deeper level. Spaces are a reflection of us.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

Right? In in theory, they they're set up to su support us. They the sign from Home Goods that says home sweet home is a reflection of of me, if I have that, you know, like our choices are like the I I I'm always when I'm going to visit clients in their spaces for the first time, I'm looking around and I'm like scanning and I'm like reading the room, and I'm like, their art tells me a lot. If there's clutter, it tells me a lot. If the layout doesn't feel right, if the scale doesn't feel right, I have like it's like a laundry list of things that I'm, you know, scanning for, and they tell me different things. Like, an example, I was working with a woman who wanted to get out uh dating and was having issues, you know, finding somebody. We talked about this too, and I looked at her living room, for instance. And she was like, I just want somebody to be comfortable with and chill with on the sofa, and da da da. And her sofa was like a love seat that barely fit two people. The coffee table was for one person. Uh the bed was like up again, it was a queen, so it fit two, but it was up against the side. There wasn't space for anybody to enter. On the other side. So it that's there's this very strong sort of connection. And our spaces don't lie. Just like our energy doesn't lie. Right. And so, yeah, you know, believe what you feel when you walk into somebody's space. The other thing I'll throw at you, which is fascinating, another study that came out a couple years ago from the Netherlands, is that volunteers could feel the emotional residue in the room after the people in the room had left.

SPEAKER_00 20:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:37

So when we talk about space clearings and staging and all of that, science is now proving, like, hey, yes, if somebody had an argument or experienced happiness or whatever, then left the room and you came in and you're you're picking up on that, we can now prove that. What you and I probably feel energetically and intuitively. Right. Which the West needs that. They need those receipts, you know? Yeah. Those scientific receipts.

SPEAKER_00 21:04

Are we even believing in those? So is that even making a difference? Okay. Okay. But we'll we'll get deeper into that in a second. But I you were saying with respect to the empty box versus the Instagram box.

SPEAKER_02 21:16

Okay, the Instagram box. So you know the Instagram box, there's levels to the Instagram box too, right? So there's creating a space that looks beautiful to impress people or to look good. Even some of like, you know, my wealthiest clients. It's it's a lot about that.

SPEAKER_05 21:36

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:36

That's not reflecting the person and holding the person any more than the empty box space. It might be on you know, it might get shot in a magazine that doesn't mean shit.

SPEAKER_00 21:47

Right. It's like it's like you're still connected. You're soulless. It's like and you could feel that. Yes. Like you could feel that looking at it, like, oh, but this is just like this is just like for show.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

For sure. It feels like a museum. Like when you walk in, you can't sit down. Yeah. It's like curated perfectly. Uh looks great on camera. And Hasani and I talk about this a lot. Like all of these massive homes made of glass and steel and a million different materials with, you know, three pools. And, you know, I'm thinking of Drake's the place that he was renting in Los Angeles. Like totally like over the top but vacuous homes that just feel soulless, but yet there's so much money poured into them. The marbles from Italy, the appliances are top line, but who the fuck cares if it doesn't feel good?

SPEAKER_06 22:38

Right.

SPEAKER_02 22:39

You know, and it doesn't support you. And I think that's also like what I want people to realize like luxury interior design, it doesn't have to be expensive things. A luxury is feeling good in your space and having a space that supports that. And that doesn't have to cost a whole lot of money if it's done with intention and in the right way and with the right elements.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

I love that you talk about the space supporting you. I I would love more detail on that. What does it mean for a space to support you?

SPEAKER_02 23:09

So it means having the self-awareness and I think the courage to have done some healing. Because through that, you get introspection and you get to know who you really are. And you're not afraid to answer some difficult questions that somebody like me might ask you if we were working together. So what? Well, in a lot of like you have a design kickoff meeting with a client at the beginning. Typical interior design questions. What's your favorite color? Do you like wallpaper? Um, you know, is it do you want a mattress with a box spring? Do you just want a mattress? All of those are important for the programming of this space. But I'm also asking questions of like, what was your childhood home like? Uh, you know, what do you suffer from anxiety? Do you suffer from allergies? If you could change anything about your life, what would you change? What do you want more of in your daily life? And I'm taking those answers and I'm literally designing with that in mind. Like, what can I do? I'll give you an example. I had a client who's a working mother. And shout out to all the working moms out there, two kids, does have the means to have a nanny and everything, but it doesn't matter. Like when you're a working mother, it's still tough. And I I was designing her work from home office. Her space. Finally. She had a space that was her own that she could close the door and do work from. And I was like, what's your dream for this? She she right away she gave me the inspiration. It looked beautiful. I was like, and it was like a girl boss office, right? I was like, cool. And then I was like, I thought about her, and I thought about how as mothers we like, and I'm a mom, we put our children and everything else ahead of us. And I was like, I want to go like a little deeper here. You know, she had said she had never had a space of her own. She grew up in an environment that had a little clutter, whatever. And I was like, I could tell she's like a high performer. And I was like, look, let's do what's like a saying that drives you, that like, you know. And she sent me like the most badass saying. I think it like it had a like a no, I sent her inspiration and it had a curse in it. And I was like, look, this is just an example, but I want you to like think big. And she wrote back something that had to do with her children. And I said, Look, I don't want to be talking out of step here. I know a mother's love is very real, but this space is yours. This 10 by 10 fit, like, what it what about you? What do you want to like wake up and have behind you every day as you sit down for work? She was like, Thank you for that nudge. We like landed on a portrait, like an illustration of um Judge Ginsburg. And then she we did her custom quote that was all about her. So just something as minute as that I think is a good example of like how our spaces can support us.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

Oh, I love that. That makes sense. And when we you and I work together, um you did a consultation of and of my home and you know, I was like, you know, I I want to be in a relationship, this and that, you know, marriage, children, and you had me do complimentary frames in my bedroom. Two pairs. Two pairs in the bedroom. Yes. Um yeah. So I did that and I felt the change of the energy in the bedroom too. Um did you empty a drawer out? Make space over. I live in such a small little bronze apartment that was probably somebody's bedroom at one point. Literally, like so no. There isn't. But you know what? It's hard in New York. It's hard. You know what? I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna be cleaning and just play.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

Play.

SPEAKER_02 26:51

I mean, get people to play. Yes, and see, you know, make these changes and see if it does anything.

SPEAKER_00 26:57

Yeah, yeah. And I love I love how you talk about the I mean there's a few principles that you that you talk about with respect to space. Yeah. And I don't know if this is all biophilic design principles or if they're because you also talk about there's one about like your it's neural something, I'm not gonna say it right.

SPEAKER_02 27:15

Yes, neuro architecture or design. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 27:18

Neurodesign, your architecture. And one of them is about the heat the ceiling height. And I thought that was so fascinating because again, I live in a small apartment. It does feel kind of cozy and inviting and warm. Um, but it's like if I go to like Brooklyn Museum, right, and I'm with these like tall ceilings, it feels so much more expansive. And you say specifically that that changes what you can imagine, what you think about. Can you speak a little bit more to that? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 27:49

And those all those principles that you're so it's like how our you know, our brains are constantly processing when we walk into a space scanning for danger. Are we okay in this space? And literally the ceiling height, the color, the light that I have, whether there's a plant in here, whether I'm facing the door, whether my back is to the door, all of these things affect us. And ceiling height, there's a correlation between like higher ceilings, gives you obviously more expansive, creative, brainstorming um space to do that kind of thinking in, whereas lower ceilings are really good for sort of task work and concentrating and very analytical and precision thinking.

SPEAKER_00 28:30

So if somebody doesn't have a high ceiling, is it something that is like if they could just go outside? You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 28:37

Yeah, or even what you just said of like if I go work somewhere else, sort of inviting that energy in. And I think we get so sort of boggled down in our routines. This is just something that I like started playing with. Change it up. Because it changes your brain, and then it like opens new ways to maybe look at the same problem, just being in a different space.

SPEAKER_00 29:00

How does that work from a scientific level? I mean, we don't have to go into the nitty-gritty, but that's so fascinating to me. I even think there's a difference between the openness of the air. Now, now that we're discussing it, and I've learned this so fast. You're like, everybody should sign up to your newsletter because like these are just such fascinating tidbits of information. Like so it's like, um, but I'm thinking about even if I step outside, I feel when I imagine it, there's a difference in my thought, like the way my brain is thinking and processing versus a high ceiling. Yes. Even that is different. Yes, right? Like, you know, why is that?

SPEAKER_02 29:34

It's again, it's like how our brain is responding to the environment. We also know that, like, you know, going for a walk in nature has ton more benefits because of the again, the studies show that nature reduces our stress levels. So when our stress levels are reduced, what stress does like from an ancient perspective, now I feel like we've normalized it. But technically, stress was a good thing. It's like there's a tiger over there, my cortisol levels rise so that I can become pin-focused on getting away from this danger. So it narrows our vision, you know. So but when we're when we're thinking of a solution for a problem, we don't want that, you know, narrow sort of thinking. A walk in nature, we know that it lowers cortisol levels. So all of a sudden, it's that expansiveness that you might experience in a space with high ceilings. If I could make an office in nature, I think that would be like the epitome of everything, minus like the sound, the bug, we'd have to deal with some other stuff. But like just in terms of like feeling good, it it boosts mood, it boosts energy. All you have to think about is what it feels like when you open your window on a sunny day and you take a breath. Like that, if I could bottle that feeling, it's a really good feeling. We just need to look at that and understand that. And studies now show too, even that, like, they did this study where you have two patients recuperating from this, I think it was a similar surgery. One had like some bushes that they could see outside of their hospital window, plus a brick building, and the other one was just looking at the brick building. The one that had like the bushes recovered faster and needed less painkillers.

unknown 31:20

Wow.

SPEAKER_06 31:21

Wow. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:23

But it's very real, you know. We used to live very connected in nature and to nature. And so now, again, this modern world, we have to take steps to sort of reconnect in the ways that we can, and whether that's spending time outside or bringing nature in through biophilia. Biophilia.

SPEAKER_00 31:43

Right. Yeah. But you mentioned one time, which I don't know how I feel about this. Yeah. You know, um, that the whether you have fake plants or real plants, right? So you're talking about bringing nature inside, right? It kind of has the same effect.

SPEAKER_02 31:57

On the brain. On the brain. Energetically, I feel like probably a real plant is more if like you could measure vibrations. Yes. It would be much more high vibration. Okay, that's good. Thank you for saying that. It tricks the brain. You restored my faith through okay.

SPEAKER_00 32:14

Because I was I'm always like, you know, no to fake plants.

SPEAKER_02 32:19

A lot of my clients, though, that don't have green thumbs, the only way I can get plants in is like high quality folk plants. That is better than no plant at all.

SPEAKER_00 32:29

Wow, that's good to know. Yeah. That's good to know. Yeah. Because I I, you know, I do have a green thumb and I always encourage people to get plants. Because it does change. It changes and you're breathing in like fresher air.

SPEAKER_02 32:40

Well, yeah, and some of them it says that it actually like purifies the air as well. Yeah. Like the pothos plant I know does that and a couple of others.

SPEAKER_00 32:48

Okay. Yeah. So if someone like me, right? Yeah. You know, we spoke about fabrics, spoke about ceiling height, we spoke about, you know, we are also in a world where we're strapped, you know, like not everybody's gonna have, you know, the money for a hundred percent cotton sheets. The $300, 100% cotton sheets. Right. Which is wild. Yes. So, but what are some basic elements that you can bring into your home? Or what are some of the things that we need to be thinking about as you're putting into your home? You know, I like I said, I live in a small New York City apartment. You know, what are some of the key things that people should be thinking about? To feel good. To feel good. So, like, yeah, like, let's see.

SPEAKER_02 33:30

One. I'll list five. How's that? Yeah. We'll go down the line. Yeah. One, get rid of the clutter. People are gonna get nervous. People get nervous, but and you go on my blog, I give all kinds of advice of how to do this. You start small, one room at a time, but literally, like clutter again, it affects, you know, it creates like chaos. It um some people tune it out, but that energy is still there. And I always say it's taking up space where new opportunities and things could come into your life. And if you walk into a space with clutter, it just doesn't flow on a more subtle level. Uh a lot of the times, clutter too, it shows like our attachment to things for the wrong reasons. Like I'm holding on to this because my mom gave me it, but like I hate it, and so there's like an energy of guilt there, which is a low vibration energy that's coming into the home. Um so once, and the the best thing if this helps anybody tackle the clutter, is that A, if you do one little space at a time, busy hands, calm minds, and at the when you're done, it's one of those activities that like four hours later you look at it and you're like, I did that. That feels really good. And then you can build the momentum and go room, room, room. And you just uh you just feel lighter. Spring cleaning, yeah. Spring cleaning. That's perfect timing. Um, secondly, I want people to think about paint color, not in terms of what Pantone just said you should paint, like the color of the year. But I just overall, like bright colors tend to energize and softer colors tend to calm. So maybe if you have like a work from home nook, like a bright back wall there could be really great, you know, and in your bedroom, um, sort of some calming colors and just play around with that. Um three, uh healthy materials, it's expensive to buy furniture that is well made. If you're gonna invest anywhere, either invest in the bedroom where you spend the most time in or in things that are touching your skin directly. So the sofa, the bed sheets, the mattress.

unknown 35:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:45

Some low touch points. Uh four, bring plants in. There's 14 different ways to bring biophilia in and sort of connect the brain back to nature. Some of it is organic, even organic patterns, the shape of rounded furniture.

SPEAKER_00 36:01

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:01

Because there's no right curves in nature.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

You talked about that, about how curvature is less it's calming because things that are sharp in nature are usually dangerous, like thorns and things like that, like jagged teeth. Exactly. They bite you. So when you have rounded um furniture, it calms you down. Oh my god, it's fascinating. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:22

And then five, I would just say this is so not sexy, but clean your windows, try and get as much natural light in, open those blinds. I see a lot of times there's like multiple windows in the house, the blinds just stay closed. That is again that connection with nature. And notice that all these things that I've said aren't necessarily like design related. I talk about paint, but everything else is really connecting back to old ways of how we used to do stuff and bringing that into our life as a sort of ritual and reconnection.

SPEAKER_00 36:54

Yes, yes, I love that. It's kind of like the chicken or the egg. Like, you know, do you declutter and then you feel better, or do you go heal and then you declutter and then you feel better? What do you think about that? That part.

SPEAKER_02 37:06

It's I'm biased because every time I declutter, I feel so good. Yeah. But I know for some people, and I've worked with clients before on consults, that it literally paralyzes them and puts them, you know, into a panic because they get overwhelmed and um they can't just focus on one thing, then they're thinking about this. And that client in particular was very healed, very aware, but just couldn't. The clutter thing was a thing. And it was also because of how they grew up and home stuff and childhood stuff and all of that. So I think even a healed person could still have issue with clutter, if that makes sense. And that clutter and getting down to the bottom of that and why you hold on to things that no longer serve you is a healing process in and of itself, if you want to dig.

SPEAKER_00 37:58

Right. Yeah, it kind of happens simultaneously too. Like you could do a little bit of healing, a little bit of decluttering, all at the same time, and you're always on your healing journey.

SPEAKER_02 38:07

So And I also think that sometimes the catalyst can be the decluttering. I don't know, you guys let me know what you think. Again, I'm biased, but anybody give it a try, like do a closet, do a room, just do it. And let us know how you feel afterwards. Do you feel good? Do you feel better? Do you feel lighter? Have are new opportunities coming to your life? Do you think that things are shifting? Because I I I also think it can go that way.

SPEAKER_00 38:33

Right. I mean, and you spoke about getting these high-quality materials. I'm a thrifter.

SPEAKER_02 38:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:38

And so, and I follow people who refurbish things, and it's it's the funnest thing for me ever to see how they can make something made out of wood that was painted in this old paint and this kind of it's it's incredible. I love that. Like I think there's a whole economy around that because we have way too much of everything on the planet, and we have everything we need, we don't have to remake anything. So, again, I'm a big proponent of thrifting. But are there any basic rules to thrifting when you when you talk about bringing in an old piece of furniture to a new space?

SPEAKER_02 39:09

It's a great question. And also such a great form of practicing sustainability when it comes to interior design, restoration of things. And sometimes restoration of things. We're working on a project now where there's this beautiful, like artisanally made kitchen cabinetry, it's the wrong color and it's outdated. Instead of ripping it out, we're gonna try and refurbish it. That might cost the same amount or close to the same amount of money as getting a whole new one, but it's the sustainable thing to do, and it's also honoring like the artisanship and everything like that. Like that's such a um a great point. And that that like less is more. This is a way of practicing less is more. Uh from an energetic standpoint, I have a friend who purchases antiques and resells them. And at one point, her workshop was in her basement of her home. And she started experiencing some ghosty shit. The idea that objects hold on to the energy of the person that they belong to, and then when it comes into your home, it can do things. Um, the only reason I bring it up is because she's a very trusted friend and she, you know, told me some stuff that was very real. And she was like, it's I swear, it's like, you know, these objects that I'm bringing into my home. So I think that's something to look out for. I don't know how to to test for that or to deal with that. Or, you know, I think somebody like intuitive, like you and me, if we went like antiquing and we like touch something, we would it would probably like feel like, oh, this is cool, but like you it's like an energy that you feel. Uh I would say that's really the only thing because antiques were made with, you know, the right way, with nails instead of adhesives and with oils instead of lacquers, and it's a high quality product. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:06

But I mean, you for for our consultation, I mean, I did saging and paro santo and the clearing out. Clearing out with the hitting of the pots and pans. So would you say that could be helpful?

SPEAKER_02 41:20

Yes, but like sometimes you get an over your head and sometimes um I just have a lot of respect for that. I am not a shaman. Um remember my husband needed to talk about it. Exactly. Let me bring in somebody that like I just have a lot of respect for the ghostiness of things, and I I believe in it. So it's just, you know, something to be mindful of. To keep in mind.

SPEAKER_00 41:49

So do it at your discretion. Exactly. Do that. I will continue. I've done it forever, but I also sage my home. I also make sure to clear energy, you know, from time to time. So um you feel comfortable. I feel comfortable. I do too. And like you said, intuitively, when I go get something, you know, I'm kind of blessing it and you know, I'm looking I'm feeling it from an intuitive perspective. So I think we should all be doing that. But I I will just say, you know, these are not your words. I will say from my words, I think we should be doing a lot more thrifting. I agree. So I agree.

SPEAKER_02 42:22

There's plenty of stuff in the world. Yes. Yes. I agree.

SPEAKER_00 42:27

Um so yeah, I mean, what do you think is, you know, oh actually, let me go back to this question real quick because we still have we still have like like 10 minutes left. Um do you think there is an a different aesthetic for men and women that we need to take into account? Like when we I don't know, if we're if we're kind of trying to understand, you know, the ways men and I don't know if this is something that you even care to talk about, we don't have to include it, but like, you know, I'm just curious, is there a way that we approach um design or or even just the upkeep and the support of the home from a male and female perspective? Are there different approaches that you take with your clients depending on, you know, and I know gender is a spectrum, so I also want to acknowledge that. But I, you know, I just want to know if you've seen any differences.

SPEAKER_02 43:22

I mean, there's definitely differences in taste and what's important to a man versus a a female client, or especially when we're working with a couple. Um, but how I my design process for both is the same. It's answer it's asking the same questions, it's n feeling equally confident, nudging a man versus like a woman. Uh now when we get into the upkeep of a home and the emotional labor, that could be a whole other podcast. Because that usually falls on the woman.

SPEAKER_00 43:53

I will not take you down the nanosphere rabbit hole. I kind of was trying to because I was like, this experience that I just had. Like it's so reflective of that. Of that. And like the design of it and all and the clutter and all that. And I'm like, man, this is very reflective.

SPEAKER_02 44:08

No, I think to your I think on that, I I do think that that women tend to, because you know, we're more feminine and in touch with the subtler things in life.

SPEAKER_01 44:23

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 44:24

Um it we tend to gravitate more towards, you know, decorating and want a beautiful and have like uh I guess a better sensibility for that. Although like my gay men out there are fabulous too. So again, yeah, maybe they have more feminine qualities. I don't know. I can't speak to that. But uh, but no, in that sense, yes, I think women are are just they're just they're more sensitive and sensible when it comes to design stuff.

SPEAKER_00 44:50

Of course. And we have to make, I think, room for that too. That just like because we are more in touch intuitively, because we are more of the caregiver. Exactly. And like all of that, yeah. It's it would make sense that we have a more holistic approach to design. 100%.

SPEAKER_02 45:06

And you know, think about making a meal for somebody or designing a home for your family. That's like a very nourishing gesture. Yes. Usually tends to fall on the woman.

SPEAKER_00 45:17

Yes, totally. Yeah. Um so what should we optimize for you know, design of our home and our actually, no, we spoke of our home, sorry. Yeah. What should we optimize for design when it comes to our workspaces?

SPEAKER_02 45:31

Yes. So if you can position yourself next to natural light as much as possible, uh throughout the day, not nobody nobody really knows this, but throughout the day, the sun is changing color temperatures. So when we were like little, we drew the sun, it's like the sun's yellow, right? Well, actually, it's changing hues in the the morning, it's like this pinkish-orange-ish. Um, and then by like 10 a.m. it's turning more towards like a blue light. That blue light indicates to our body a higher state of alertness. It's affecting our circadian rhythms, which in turn affect our hormones and our mood. And then around 3 p.m., when you like feel that dip in energy, it's starting to go more towards like an orange-pinkish hue, and that's telling the body to like calm down. So if we're working in a space next to a window, that connection isn't disrupted, right? It's again, it's another way to connect. Uh, a lot of office spaces do not have windows, they have something called circadian lighting systems, lights that sort of mimic that throughout the day. No, at work, if you want to be um productive, most of us want to be like more high energy at work. Again, like decorating things with angles, energizes bright colors, and if you can't be next to natural light, uh light bulb with like a 4,000 color temperature, which is like more of like that blue-white light that signals alertness, all of those things help us be more productive.

SPEAKER_00 47:03

What do you optimize for now? Because you mentioned recently in your Instagram post that we need to slow down. Yeah. So, you know, I think about productivity in a whole different way than I used to even a year ago, even two years ago. What do you feel you're optimizing for now?

SPEAKER_02 47:22

That's a great question. So I'm trying to slow down and be intentional with my work and how I approach a project as much as possible. Because that allows me to think more sustainably, more holistically, and do what I preach. Right? I can't do that with speed when I'm under deadlines and just trying to make the decision on the thing because you know it needs to happen. Um and that also means boundaries with clients in terms of timelines. Yes, we'll take the project on, but no, it's not gonna be done for your Christmas party because actually I'm building a space that I want to support you and I need the time to do that. Um, and this happens naturally. I feel like if you've done work on yourself, you begin surrounding yourself with people that sort of think the same way and want to honor the earth and the body in the same way, and you know, start working with those people and collaborators. Like I'm I'm trying to realize I don't have to do it all by myself. And we're stronger when we're together. So finding the right collaborators is really important. And I wouldn't have had these answers a year ago.

SPEAKER_00 48:33

So that's so key. Yeah. And I'm learning the same thing, by the way. Um, all right, we're winding down here, and I'm gonna ask you what I ask every guest of mine. Yes, uh, how would you define a sustainable artist or you know, a sustainable human, which is what I think everyone is?

SPEAKER_02 48:50

Yeah, somebody that's like uh self-aware, has done the work and moves through life slowly and intentionally and then powerfully.

SPEAKER_00 49:03

Slowly and intentionally. Slowly is the theme slow the fuck down.

SPEAKER_01 49:08

If we all just slowed the fuck down, the world would be a better place.

SPEAKER_00 49:12

You know what? My one of my things, notes for today as I do every podcast, I'm trying to improve a little bit more each time. And for this one specifically, I was like, slow down. Slow down because I've noticed that I've there's things even that I ask that I'm like, oh, I assume that you know everyone knows what that is. Right. Right. But they may maybe they don't. And and the only way I can catch that is if you're slow. If I slow down. That's the yumminess. So I love that. Um okay, what does ideal design for a healed world look like to you? I'm trying to heal the world here.

SPEAKER_02 49:50

So when I read this, when you sent it over this morning and I took a look at it, almost started tearing up. Um it's one something that I want so badly, and why I'm out here like just talking about this until I turn blue in the face. Good intentional design doesn't necessarily have to be expensive. I think two things need to happen. One, the shift to honoring our spaces, the way that we do sleep, diet, and exercise for wellness has to happen. And I think that happens through conversations like this, and people experiencing that and almost being like, oh, like listening to this and being like, oh yeah, you know, yeah, let me let me try this. And two, it's our governments not being corrupt and you know, truly uh investing in things that make life better for the people. Like what kind of thing? Buildings, infrastructure. I think about the eight million New Yorkers that have to commute on the MTA every morning, and that they start their mornings off pretty shitty because of how our stations look, the cleanliness of them, the lighting of it, the air of it. I go to other countries, it's not like that. I understand we're massive. I understand to scale good living the way that you know it's nice and clean and like, you know, Denmark and Sweden and all is a very difficult thing to do. But where damn, we just went around the moon. If we can do that, we can do anything. So it's really just about, you know, what where the energy, the time, and the money is put towards. And I I sure hope it's our buildings and and our spaces and how um they look and feel for the humans of this world.

SPEAKER_01 52:01

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 52:02

You're welcome. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 52:03

This is so much fun.

SPEAKER_02 52:05

It was awesome. Great questions. I I love this.

SPEAKER_00 52:07

Oh God, yeah, you did so well. I mean, I I can't wait for people to hear this.

SPEAKER_02 52:11

This is such a good conversation.

SPEAKER_00 52:13

Oh my god, I can talk for like I know, save 20 more hours. Like, literally, I wouldn't do a part two.

SPEAKER_01 52:20

We'll do a part two.

SPEAKER_00 52:21

No, we actually we are going to do a part two because I have so many things that I want to ask you that I didn't ask because I want to try to keep it tight. But the truth is that like it's it's fascinating to me and it's everything we need to hear right now. Yeah, totally. Everything we need to hear. Like, I wanted to go, I was about to ask you something more, but I was like, let's just end it on the note. But like, there's so much more of like more like the higher level structural design, like city design, and like urban planning planning and I was kind of alluding to the government. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So we you're gonna be back. Thank you. And we're gonna get deeper into that. Thank you. I'm so happy you're doing this. Oh, thank you. Yes,